Bengaluru/Davanagere: Davanagere North MLA S.S. Mallikarjun has reportedly been included in the Karnataka Cabinet expansion after being left out of the initial list, giving Davanagere district two ministerial berths.
According to sources, S.S. Mallikarjun replaced Mankala Vaidya in the final round of deliberations. However, the revised list has not yet been officially released by the Congress high command.
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Mallikarjun's exclusion from the initial list had come as a surprise, given his political prominence and the influence of the Shamanur family in the region. Sources said the last-minute discussions resulted in his inclusion in the Cabinet.
Earlier, Mayakonda MLA K.S. Basavanthappa had already been named in the Cabinet. With the reported inclusion of S.S. Mallikarjun, Davanagere district is set to have two representatives in the state Cabinet.
The revised list is yet to be officially announced by the Congress high command. The inclusion of S.S. Mallikarjun is based on sources.